Sloppy Casting

Sometimes the good just keeps on coming. I’m so happy for all of you who love Sloppy Firsts, who have been celebratey with us or who have discovered it for the first time. And now – now, there’s a movie in the works.

If you haven’t heard, Megan McCafferty is offering a sneak peek at the movie if you contribute a casting decision on her Facebook page here and, since everyone loves to help, the casting page is chock full already.

But um, I feel like people are missing something here.

Suggestions have included “Anne Hathaway and Adrien Grenier!” or “Ellen Page and Taylor Kitsch!” Not to state the obvious, but I will anyway.

This is only a Sloppy Firsts movie (although I’m sure, as we all know, if it’s successful, rush them into production for the next ones, we get the idea. So – the obvious problem comes to light here.)

Jessica is supposed to be fifteen. Marcus is…either a year or two older, depending on your interpretation of several key events. This is obviously a much harder challenge . The only age-appropriate casting I’ve seen on the site is, sing it if you know it, Hailee Steinfeld. And I know Steinfeld is fifteen. But it doesn’t mean she’s perfect for every role under the age of 18.

So what to do? The obvious answer is to cast unknowns. And they probably largely will. Not just because there are no actresses under 18, but the ones who are? You think Selena Gomez is going to accurately geek out over Barry Manilow? For that matter, will she have choppy hair and general awkwardness and no boobs? I know you know what I mean.

So, let’s give a couple of concessions. Let’s say that generally forever (withexceptionswhicharewhatprovestherule) a 16 year old is going to be played by someone over 18. It just means they can work longer. We get it. So…is this going to be awarded to Dakota Fanning? (Please, not. I like her, but still) Someone suggested Mae Whitman, who looks young enough and has the right temperament, but …this person also has to have Jessica’s vulnerability. She doesn’t have the confidence yet. Her sassy self-assuredness which comes out in letters to Hope presents as just so much A-student sullenness – at least at first.

So do we know this person? Do we know a 17 year old with so much swagger and vulnerability at once, for that matter? Marcus isn’t – can’t be – shouldn’t be just your average teenage heartthrob. The red dreads are just one thing that sets him apart – there’s that weight underneath the smirk. I knew that guy in high school – but does Hollywood?

Give me your real suggestions. From British TV, from a movie where the daughter had three lines but had a sparkle somehow (hey, Eliza Dushku was in True Lies), from a boy band where you think one of the singers had some depth. I want to spread the net wide. Fantasy casting is like Fantasy Baseball, except since there’s only two roles, you have to be that much better to make it into our world.